A blog about the beautiful game as it affects Nigeria and Nigerian Players , home and abroad.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Manchester City won't release Iheanacho and Nwakali for AYC

Iheanacho-Photocred : Daily Star

English Premier League champions Manchester City have informed Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) they will not release Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidiebere Nwakali for the 2015 African Youth Championship in March in Senegal.

Both players were among nine foreign-based pros called up by the Flying Eagles for the AYC.

They were given a Thursday deadline to join up with the country's U20s in their training camp in Kaduna.

But in a mail signed by City scouting and recruitment operations manager, Fergal Harkin, the EPL side said Iheanacho is injured and may not be fit till mid-March, while Nwakali is about to be loaned out to a club in Europe.

Nwakali-Photocred: fifa,com

“With regards Kelechi Iheanacho, he is currently injured. We believe he will be fit around the middle of March but can keep in contract regarding his recovery,” read Tuesday’s mail in part.

“For Chidiebere Nwakali, we are currently in the process of agreeing his loan deal to Europe and he will not be available to meet up with the national team until further notice.

“At this moment in time, we feel it is best for his development that he cements his place in the club side.”

About Andrew Randa

Football knucklehead. Nigerian football aficionado. Frustrated Plateau United & Arsenal fan. Father and Husband. Works published on major Nigerian football websites and newspapers. I've also done work for footballspeak.com, goal.com, KickOff Magazine (defunct) and other international websites. I was also a co-presenter on 'Sports File' on NTA Jos in the late nineties.